Darkness requires a soothing light to calm its demons, while light seeks darkness to feel secure. They complete each other, mutually need each other, until they realize that every darkness harbors a glimmer and that every gleam conceals a part of da...
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I didn't make it in time to see them remove the body. When Eric and I finished, I went to my room, bathed, and changed quickly to get there. As I exited, Eric was waiting for me outside. We were waiting on the top floor because the corpse was going to be incinerated. And here we were, Max, Eric, Freya, Hill, and I in a room with a huge oven on one side, a metal table with a black bag, and inside it, the lifeless body of Ian.
Ian had jumped during the night, the sharp rocks had pierced his skull sideways, his lips were purple with blue touches, his lifeless eyes were open giving a gloomy appearance. My throat was tight, forming a rather bitter knot, no matter how many times I tried to swallow saliva, this feeling didn't go away. I didn't feel guilty, he made his decision. He took my place. But I hated him, I hated seeing him like this. Why was he so cowardly? Was it my fault? After all, I threatened him with death.
I took the button I had cut from him out of my pocket, passing it through my fingers as I couldn't stop thinking that the man who gave me my first kiss was the same one who tried to kill me and is now dead.
"...Grace will do it." Max said. "It's a good start for her, to win over Dauntless."
I was so immersed in my thoughts that I hadn't paid attention to his words. "Do what?" I asked absentmindedly.
Freya grimaced. "It's the same every year." Hill spoke. "A Dauntless dies, can't bear the faction's burden, and won't allow themselves to become factionless. One of the leaders gives some touching words so that others feel loved and think we care. Freya usually does it." she shrugged.
I frowned. 'I can't. I can't give touching words about Ian, it's absurd." I said. "Do I have to do it?" I asked, looking at Max, hoping for a way out.
"I'll do it." Eric intervened. "Let her learn how it's done and let her do it next year." he shrugged as if the suicide of a Dauntless was the most common thing.
"Alright, then let's continue with our normal activities, tonight we'll have an open bar and the speech will be given." Max spoke indifferently, the situation didn't seem relevant to him. "Let's go so they can cremate him."
I gave one last look to my friend whom I broke his heart, who attacked me, and who committed suicide.
"Are you okay?" Eric asked, looking confused at my insistence to see his corpse.
I approached what used to be Ian, placed my fingers on his cold eyelids and closed them, then I left the button on his chest and walked away. "Yes, I'm fine." I responded. "Thank you, I didn't want to give any speech." I grimaced.
He nodded, I walked out the door with Eric following behind me. Once the room was empty, a Dauntless entered and closed the door behind him.
